Journal #3

If I were ever captured and taken hostage like Mary Rowlandson it would be a huge understatement to say that I would be scared. I would mostly likely be all alone without any help, and if others were with me chances are that the captors would hurt them in addition to myself. I speculate that when I would first be taken I would shut down emotionally. I would probably start to become paranoid and think of all the bad things that could happen to me while I was being held captive. This would keep me freaked out for several days, and my only hope would be that there was someone out in the world looking for me. I think slowly after being captured I would become more accustomed to my mew surroundings and situation. It would take al long time for me to become settled probably because the people holding me hostage would most likely not be all that nice to me. They would not really care if they kept me fed and sheltered if they did not need me alive. I have lived a very soft and comfortable life, and the mistreatment and neglect would take its toll on me. When I became used to my new surroundings and the people that had captured me, I think that I would try to escape. I am a very stubborn person and when I want something to happen, I make sure it happens. I would do everything in my power to escape my prison, even if it meant waiting my captors out. See, I bet that the people holding me hostage would start to get lazy after awhile of me not trying to escape. Just a slip of a little information would help me, and I would watch and wait for my chance to escape. When I would make my escape I wouldn't hold back, and just run for my life until I found someone or something that could get me back home.

A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson and Upon the Burning of our House Reflection blog

After reading A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson by Mary Rowlandson and "Upon the Burning of our House" by Anne Bradstreet, were both written by Puritans. From reading these two passages, I was able to gain a strong understanding of the importance of God in Puritan writing styles.

In A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, the reader can see the author's Puritan values come through from her many mentions of God. For example, in the story the author says, "O the wonderful power of God that I have seen, and the experiences that I have had! I have been in the midst of those roaring lions and savage bears that fear neither God nor man, nor the devil, by night and day, alone and in company, sleeping all sorts together; and none of them ever offered the least abuse of unchastity in word or action. Though some are ready to say that I speak it for my own credit; but I speak it in the presence of God, and to His Glory."(Rolandson 85). This means that the author is grateful to God for the experiences that she has had. I think that this is a bright side that the puritans tend to look at when they think of experiences that God is testing them with. I believe that this passage also means that the Rowlandson is grateful to God for letting her survive all of the challenges she has faced such as the lions and bears (Rolandson 85). From this passage I can tell that the author is also grateful for having her be captured by people that do not endanger her virtue or harm her physically and mentally, and she attributes this stroke of fortune to God and his mercy (Rowlandson 85).

The poem "Upon the Burning of our House" by Anne Bradstreet, also exemplifies some qualities of traditional Puritan writing. This poem focuses mainly on the authors feelings as her house is burned to the ground (Bradstreet 91). The author feels sadness that all of her material goods are being burned up and turned to ash (Bradstreet 91). The author thinks about all of the special events like having guests over will no longer be able to happen because her house has burned up (Bradstreet 91). Bradstreet now has no material objects left in the world, but she only lapses into self pity for a short amount of time. As she dwells on her burned house, she begins to think of God (Bradstreet 91). This seems to cheer her instantly and provide some comfort over the tragic event (Bradstreet 91). Much like the other author Mary Rolandson, Bradstreet manages find a bright side to her situation. In the poem she says, "Raise up thy thoughts above the sky, That dunghill mists away may fly. Thou hast a house on high erect, Framed by that mighty Architect."(Bradstreet 91). This means that the author begins to turn her thoughts toward heaven (Bradstreet 91). She is comforted by thinking that the house that burned up was not her real home, but that heaven is her real home (Bradstreet 91). I can tell that the author believes that her place in heaven is worth more to her than any worldly possession.

Bibliography:

Rowlandson, Mary. "A Narrative of Capture and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson." Glencoe American Literature. N.p.: McGraw Hill, 2009. 82-85. Print.

Bradstreet, Anne. "Upon the Burning of Our House." Glencoe American LIterature. N.p.: McGraw Hill, 2009. 91. Print.

Journal 2

Once in a land far far away lived a purple dragon named Tootsie. Tootsie was a very clumsy dragon with a bad attitude. See in the mountains where Tootsie lived, manners were a very important part of society. All of the other dragons lived by a strict code of rules of politeness. All except Tootsie the purple dragon. See, Tootsie lived on the outskirts of the dragon community in a desolate cave. Since Tootsie lived so far from all of the other dragons and was cut off from often contact with them, she was never taught the polite codes that all the other dragons had learned by heart. Tootsie, of course, was not aware that she was missing knowledge about how to behave around the other dragons, and she made blunders after blunders in social situations. For this the other dragons found her lack of manners distasteful, and ostracized her. This badly hurt Tootsie the purple dragon, and she was very confused as to what she did to the other dragons that made them despise her so. Being shunned by the other dragons caused resentment of her own kind to grow steadily in her heart and mind. This is what gave Tootsie a bad attitude and sometimes even cruel. Tootsie's live changed one day she was visiting the local unicorn for some medicine. When Tootsie walked in the unicorn's house she did not bother to wipe her feet on the carefully placed doormat. The unicorn noticed this and was bemused for he knew what manners all of the dragons had. He scorned Tootsie and told her to go back and wipe her feet on the doormat. Tootsie had never done such a thing, but she did as the unicorn asked of her. She later questioned the unicorn about why she had to do that and he replied that it was the polite thing to do. Tootsie had never even heard the word "polite" and the unicorn soon understood that Tootsie had never been taught manners. He the explained the rules of cordiality and Tootsie began to realize her social follies with the other dragons. From that day Tootsie was always polite and all of the dragons began to love her and treat her as one of their own.

Journal #1 How the narwhal got his horn

Once upon a time there was a young whale named Merlin. Merlin however was not quite like the other whales. All of the other whales liked to frolic around the ocean, but this made Merlin the whale very uncomfortable. He wanted more in life than just swimming around the ocean. Merlin's aspiration was to become famous. Merlin wanted nothing more than to be an individual and not just another whale. Merlin was very restless, and none of the other whales could ever understand why Merlin was unhappy. One day Merlin's whole life changed. It started when Merlin was moping around the bottom of the ocean. His eyes were downcast and did not know that another whale was just a few feet away swimming. The other whale approached Merlin slowly and she asked what was wrong. Merlin was caught off guard and looked up to find whom he decided was the most beautiful whale in the whole entire sea. The whale introduced herself as Hermione and once again asked what was the matter with Merlin. Still captivated by the girl, he found himself blurting out all of his insecurities about who he was and his desire to be special. Merlin's odd desire seemed to resonate with Hermione and the two whales struck up a conversation. Soon after this fateful meeting Hermione and Merlin became friends and then even fell in love. There, however, was one problem with Hermione and Merlin's romance. His name was Sheldon and he had his eyes on Hermione. See, in the ocean if two males whale wanted one female they must have a competition of superiority. This was how Sheldon challenged Merlin. It was clear to Merlin that Sheldon would win because Sheldon was both bigger than Merlin and had the most beautiful singing voice in all of the sea. Merlin was just about to surrender because he had no chance of winning the show of superiority. As he was on the way to the competition with his head bowed in defeat he ran into a sea turtle named Archimedes. Archimedes was an old and very wise turtle that was aware of Merlin's predicament. Archimedes had been around so long that he remembered the old magic of the sea. The elderly sea turtle decided to take pity on Merlin because he had a sense of humor and loved an under dog story. The sea turtle offered Merlin a deal he couldn't refuse and soon Merlin was on his way to the competition with a strange potion that had been rubbed on his head by what he thought was a senile sea turtle. When Merlin arrived at the event, a curious thing occurred. A horn began to grow out of his head. This horn was sharp and very fearsome. So fearsome in fact that Sheldon surrendered immediately, and Merlin became known as what is now called a narwhal. With his horn he was more confident and felt like an individual. Merlin had finally gotten all of his wishes granted, except one. Hermione had not been aware of the competition and was set into a rage when she found out. Hermione ended up dumping Merlin because she was an independent woman and belonged to no man.

How does The Catcher in the Rye reflect the history, behavior and of the time period and setting?

The novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger takes place during the 1950's in New York City. The reader is able to decipher this information because this novel accurately depicts the history and behavior of its time period.


Through history I was able to determine the time setting of The Catcher in the Rye. For example, Holden mentions that his brother D.B. had joined the army when Holden was just a kid (Salinger 181). He mentions that his brother was in the army for four years and had been a part of the D-Day invasion of Normandy (Salinger 181). This meant that when the events in the book took place were a couple years after World War II. Since World War II ended in 1945 and Holden's story takes place years after the war, this means that the events probably occurred sometime within in the 1950's.

Besides using the history mentioned in The Catcher in the Rye, readers are also able to determine the time period that the story takes place in due to the behavior of the characters. For example, many characters in the novel are seen smoking. In the 1950's, the harmful effects of smoking were not really known and many people smoked. In the novel when Holden takes out a cigarette while he is talking to the older woman on the train, she does not seem bothered that a sixteen year old boy is smoking (Salinger 72). This means that the book would have had to taken place in a time where smoking was more popular and people under eighteen could buy cigarettes and other products with nicotine. Another behavior that tips the reader off to the time period of the novel is the old time phrases that Holden and the other characters say. For example when Holden is lying to the woman on the train he calls the lies, "shooting the old crap around."(Salinger 71). Holden also uses outdated phrases such as "chewing the fat" and he also will put the world "old" in front of people's names often (Salinger 223). For instance, Holden will often refer to his sister as "old Phoebe" (Salinger 223).


Bibliography:Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

What people, ideas, and events probably influenced J.D. Salinger while writing The Catcher in the Rye

I think the idea
of how hard it is to let go of childhood influenced J.D. Salinger while writing
his novel The Catcher in the Rye. I
can decipher this from reading The
Catcher in the Rye because the author made this struggle to let go of
childhood and growing into adulthood the theme and the conflict that Holden
struggles with the most. Many times throughout the novel, the reader can see
Holden trying not to become an adult and change. I believe that this is the
reason that Holden acts out so many times in the novel. He does reckless things
like ordering alcohol and getting drunk just because he has nothing better to
do (Salinger 194). He also gets kicked out of his boarding school because he
failed four out of five classes (Salinger 6). Holden expresses his fear of
change when he goes to the Museum of Natural History. While walking to the
museum, Holden thinks back to his own idealistic childhood days spent at the
museum (Salinger 156). He thinks about how all of the exhibits were always the
same no matter how much he changed (Salinger 157). He thinks about the man ice
fishing behind one of the glass cases of the museum and is comforted by the
knowledge that the mannequin will always be there ice fishing (Salinger 157).
Thinking about the museum soon makes Holden sorrowful as he thinks about his
sister going there (Salinger 158). He is saddened by the thought that Phoebe is
different every time she goes there. (Salinger 158) Holden remarks, “Certain things they should
stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big
glass cases and just leave them alone. I know that’s impossible, but it’s too
bad anyway.”(Salinger 158). Holden wants to just put life on hold for a while,
but he cannot. He has to continue on with the rest of the world, and grow up and
evolve to remain a part of the world around him.

Bibliography:Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

The Significance of Allie

In The Catcher in the
Rye by J.D. Salinger, one of the most important characters is not actually in
the story, but is merely mentioned. This character is Holden's younger brother
named Allie. Allie is described in The Catcher in the Rye as having bright red
hair, and is only a few years younger than Holden (Salinger 50). Allie is first
mentioned in the book when Holden is writing a descriptive paper for his roommate
Stradlater (Salinger 49). Holden writes about his brother's baseball glove that
had poems written on it (Salinger 49). While describing the glove, Holden
mentions to the reader that his brother had died of leukemia a few years before
the events in the story take place (Salinger 49). The reader also finds out
that when Allie died Holden punched out all of the windows in his garage
(Salinger 50). He had to be hospitalized to have his hand fixed and ended up
missing Allie’s funeral (Salinger 201). The death of Allie and Holden's
reaction to it is important because it gives the reader more insight into
Holden. Allie's death was obviously a traumatic event for Holden and missing
the funeral might have been as well. Holden may have not been able to get
closure for Allie's death, and I believe that Holden's persistence to remain a
child has something to do with Allie's death. I think that Holden believes that
he will leave Allie behind if he gives up his childhood and becomes an adult.
Since Allie died, he never got the chance to become an adult, and maybe Holden
thinks that he will be able to stay closer to his dead brother if he does not grow
up as well. This fear can be seen when Holden talks about how he went to ride
his bike with a friend and told Allie that he had to stay behind (Salinger 129).
Holden still wishes that he told Allie that he could come along (Salinger 129).
He also mentions that when he was a kid he didn’t want Allie with him, but now
that Allie is gone he does (Salinger 130).

Bibliography:Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

What is the thematic and symbolic significance of The Catcher in the Rye?

The thematic significance of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is the struggle to let go of childhood and grow up. This struggle can be seen in the protagonist Holden Caulfield. Holden is afraid of adulthood and wants to remain a child. This can be seen in the ways that Holden acts out. These acts include ordering alcohol and getting drunk (Salinger 194). Holden also has trouble applying himself to anything and failed out of school (Salinger 6). His fear of changing and growing up can also be seen when Holden goes to the Museum of Natural History (Salinger 155). Holden admires the museum because it never changes in a world that is always evolving (Salinger 157). He also expresses his wish to put life behind one of the glass cases in the museum, so it too never changes (Salinger 158). Through Holden's mission to avoid change and growing up, he experiences many consequences that teach the reader what happens when you try to stop the progress of life. All of the people around Holden are still growing up and evolving leaving him behind in maturity development. This means that Holden begins to have trouble relating to people his own age, and gets along better with children like Phoebe. This extremely limits the people that Holden can interact successfully with, and he begins to feel ostracized by people his own age. This extreme loneliness that comes from Holden's stubbornness in remaining a child, is detrimental to his emotional health because humans need positive social interaction. This lack of positive social interaction even leads to Holden's breakdown at the end of the book (Salinger 276).

Besides having thematic significance, The Catcher in the Rye also has considerable symbolic significance. I feel that the main symbol in this book is Holden himself. Holden is a symbol for the time in everyone's life where they feel fear of getting older and encountering the unknown future. By making Holden a symbol for this feeling, the author made the book more relatable. The reader can relate because they too may have felt a little of what Holden does. By Holden being a symbol, the reader can also see the result in trying to stop change. It is nearly impossible and from Holden's example it has terrible effects. When Holden tried he ended up being sick and having to go to a place to be psychoanalyzed (Salinger 276). Holden also ended up separating himself from everyone else.

Bibliography:Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

The use of irony in The Catcher in the Rye

In the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the author uses irony to help the reader understand the main character Holden Caulfield. Irony can be found in multiple times in The Catcher in the Rye, and it is mostly used in relation to Holden. By using irony, the author shows the reader Holden's weaknesses as a character. Throughout the novel, Holden can be seen being nice to people he doesn't really like. Often Holden also mentions that they are a phony as well. An example of this is when he goes on a date with Sally Hayes (Salinger 162). It turns out that Holden doesn't really like Sally. He criticizes her one moment then declares his love for her the next (Salinger 163). When Holden eventually called Sally a phony, I was amused because Holden is the real phony (Salinger 165). He goes around with Sally making her think that he likes her, when in reality he doesn't. Holden is the one putting on the act. I think that Holden knows that he really is a phony around other people, but that he dislikes the part of himself that feels he has to put on a show. The irony of Holden calling other people phonies when he is the phony, give the reader understanding about Holden feels about himself.

Besides gaining insight into Holden, irony is also used in The Catcher in the Rye to emphasize the odd relationship between Phoebe and Holden. Holden is very immature, but Phoebe is not and has a better understanding of the world around her than Holden does. This is ironic because Phoebe is several years younger than Holden and is just a child (Salinger 77). She understands the consequences of Holden getting kicked out of school, when Holden doesn't even himself. When Holden comes to visit her she gets very upset when she finds that he was kicked out of school (Salinger 224). She even understands how her parents will feel and tells Holden several times "Daddy's going to kill you" (Salinger 225). She can see how Holden's actions affect others, and she seems much older and wiser than Holden.

Bibliography: Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

The significance of the character Phoebe

In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield has a sister named Phoebe who is very important to the story. Phoebe is Holden's kid sister and lives with her parents in New York City. She deeply loves her brother Holden and he feels the same way about her. One of the reasons that Phoebe is so important is because we can see Holden's admiration for childhood directed towards her. Holden often remarks that she kills him with the things she says. Holden loves anything about her from her exuberance to being Benedict Arnold in the school play to her sweet childish innocence (Salinger 220). The only time that Holden seems truly happy in this book is when he is watching Phoebe ride the carousel at the end of the novel (Salinger 275). I think that he cannot but help to notice the pure childish joy she experiences from the ride. This joy is appealing to Holden, and it makes Holden happy seeing her so happy. From Holden's feelings toward Phoebe the reader can tell how much more the experiences of childhood is appealing to him than adulthood.

Another way that Phoebe is important in the story is that she understands Holden like no other character in the story does. For example, when Holden goes to visit Phoebe, she suddenly asks him if he likes anything at all (Salinger 220). Holden replies that he likes talking to her, but Phoebe knows that this is not a real answer (Salinger 223). I think that this is a very important point for Holden when Phoebe asks him that question. Phoebe's question frustrates Holden because he cannot concentrate and think of anything that he likes (Salinger 220). Phoebe has asked Holden something that no one else has in the story, and this shows that she sees her brother's indifference to the world around him. Through her question the reader is also given some more insight into Holden's personality, and how extreme his indifference is.

Bibliography: Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

Disadvantages of Holden Caulfield being the narrator of The Catcher in the Rye

In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the narrator of the story is the protagonist named Holden Caulfield. Holden is a troubled teenage boy that is very cynical. He thinks that the world is made up of phonies, and he attempts to distance himself from all of the phonies. He also has trouble applying himself to life, and has been kicked out of several boarding schools. While it is beneficial for the reader to know how Holden feels, there are several disadvantages to Holden being the narrator.

There are several disadvantages to Holden being the narrator of The Catcher in the Rye. One of these disadvantages is his tendency to lie. Holden can lie to almost anyone without remorse and just sees it as a bit of fun. An example of this in the story is when Holden is meets the mother of one of his classmates on the train. Holden starts "shooting the old crap" with this woman for a while telling her how wonderful her son (Salinger 71). He even makes up a story about how they nominated her son for class president, but that her son was far too modest to accept the nomination (Salinger 74). In reality Holden despises this woman's son (Salinger 71). This easy lie that Holden tells the boy's mother shows the reader that he is not entirely trustworthy. It makes the reader wonder if he lies here and there in the story, and embellishes certain things. Another disadvantage of Holden being the narrator is his tendency to not want to face what he is telling the reader about. This comes up several times when Holden struggles with internal conflicts. At the end of the novel, Holden is talking about how he got "sick" and had to take it easy for a while (Salinger 276). He refuses to elaborate further and says that he doesn't want to talk about it anymore (Salinger 276). This leaves the reader to wonder what truly happened to Holden at the end of the story.

Bibliography: Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

Holden Caulfield Character Description

The main character of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a teenage boy named Holden Caulfield. As both the protagonist and narrator of the story, he is vital to all aspects of the novel. In the novel, Holden is on the verge of becoming an adult, but he clings to his childhood, and does not want to grow up and become a phony. By trying to remain a kid, Holden often acts out and is very immature. The reader can see Holden's immaturity in his lack of interest in anything, and how he does not apply himself at all. For example, at the beginning of the novel Holden is packing up his things because he has been kicked out of his boarding school (Salinger 6). The reader soon finds that this is not the first boarding school that Holden has been kicked out of, and that he failed all of his classes besides English (Salinger 6). Another sign of immaturity in Holden is his plan at the end of the novel to leave and go live where no one knows him (Salinger 258). He is trying to run away from all of his problems, but running will not fix anything for Holden. Despite Holden's immature ways, the reader cannot but help to sympathize with him. Many people feel what Holden feels about growing up. He just wants some things to stay the same and thinks, "Certain things they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and leave them alone." (Salinger158). It sometimes seems that life moves too fast, and it would be nice to just stop and let nothing change. Yet, the reader can see the consequences Holden faces in trying to stop changing and evolving, while everyone else around him keeps shifting with life. Holden begins to feel all alone in the world, but at the same time thinks everyone is a phony and does not want to interact with anyone. This contradiction may contribute to Holden's mental breakdown at the end of the novel (Salinger 276). He wants to be with other people, yet he also despises them.

Bibliography:Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

What techniques does the author use to engage the reader of The Catcher in the Rye?

In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the author uses a lot of humor to make the novel engaging for the reader. By using humor, the reader is entertained and will want to keep reading and eventually finish The Catcher in the Rye. The humor in The Catcher in the Rye comes from Holden's point of view and how he describes the things around him. For instance, Holden's unique sense of humor comes out when he is describing his handsome roommate Stradlater. Holden calls him a "secret slob", and goes on to talk about how Stradlater always looks good, but has poor hygiene (Salinger 35). I thought that this was pretty amusing, and made me want to like Holden as a narrator. Another time the author used humor through Holden, is when Holden says to the reader, "I already told you what a sexy bastard Stradlater was." (Salinger 45). I find this just to be a funny phrase to use, and Holden's humor saves him from being a depressing main character.

In addition to using humor to keep the reader engaged in The Catcher in the Rye, the author also uses mystery. The mystery in this book is caused by Holden never saying outright what happened to him after the events in the novel. At the end of the novel he only says, "I could probably tell you what I did after I went home, and how I got sick and all, and what school I'm supposed to go to next fall, after I get out of here, but I don't feel like it. I really don't."(Salinger 276). This makes the reader what Holden is sick with. It leads the reader to think that he had a mental breakdown of some sort, but we cannot be sure. It also begs the question to where Holden is when he is telling the story. I suspect he is being examined at some mental health facility, but Holden never quite comes out and says it.

Bibliography:Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

Why do we still read The Catcher in the Rye?

The novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is read today for many reasons, but the primary reason is what the reader can learn from the protagonist Holden Caulfield. Holden is a pessimistic teenage boy that feels nothing but indifference for the world around him. Throughout the novel, Holden can be seen calling many different people phonies, or someone who is fake and just acting. Holden judges anyone from his brother to people that he observes from the street. All of the resentment that Holden builds up begins to separate him from the world. He begins to think himself separately from everyone else, and even daydreams of going someone where no one knows him and saying that he is deaf mute so no one will talk to him (Salinger 257). Yet, on the other hand Holden is very lonely. He portrays this by paying for a prostitute to come to his hotel room (Salinger 119). When Sunny the prostitute shows up, Holden is only interested in talking to her (Salinger 124). Later in the novel he even calls up a boy named Carl Luce to have a drink with him (Salinger 177). While Holden is describing Carl to the reader he mentions that he doesn't even really like Carl and once called him a "fat-assed phony" (Salinger 177). Most people don't want to hang out with people they don't like, but Holden is just that lonely. His view on life and loneliness may also cause his destructive behaviors such as drinking and wandering around at all hours of the night (Salinger 199). Holden also goes through severe unhappiness with living and pretends that he has been shot and is dying many times in the story (Salinger 195). Holden's experience with shutting himself off from the world and his loneliness shows the readers what happens when you can no longer see the good things in life. With optimism it is easy to fall into despair and loneliness just like Holden did. To stay connected to life and be fulfilled it is crucial to be like life as a whole and see some good.

Bibliography:Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

Who is the hero of The Catcher in the Rye?

The hero of The Catcher in the Rye is the protagonist Holden Caulfield. While Holden does not do any heroic deeds, he is the hero because of what he does for the reader. Holden's role is to help the reader connect to and understand the novel. He is able to accomplish this through his experiences and traits. Holden is very cynical and is extremely dissatisfied with the world and people around him. He is very immature and seems to have trouble applying himself. Holden has also encountered many tragedies in his life including the death of his beloved younger brother Allie and missing Allie's funeral. Holden can often be seen trying to distance himself from the world that he feels no love for, and he does not want to grow up and change. Through Holden's personality the reader can sympathize and relate to Holden. Everyone comes to a time in their life where they are between childhood and adulthood. They too feel the uncertainty about becoming an adult and leaving their childhood behind as Holden does. Holden is also able to show the reader what could happen to them if they decide to distance themselves from the world in the attempts to stop the changes in their lives. Life is always flowing and never stops. You cannot simply decide to stop moving forward, but Holden tries. The reader is able to see the consequences of Holden's decision to not move on. Holden falls into despair and becomes reckless. For example, the harder Holden resists life the more he begins to drink. Holden does this one night after meeting with a boy he once knew that has become an adult (Salinger187). This makes Holden distraught that other people are moving on, and causes him to drink alcohol and become drunk (Salinger 194). He also tries to run away from his problems, which only causes pain for the people that love him. When Phoebe finds out that Holden is leaving she gets very upset and tries to go with him (Salinger 167). This makes Holden realize what he has done to everyone he loves, and this is where Holden begins his mental breakdown. Holden even has to be institutionalized and psychoanalyzed (Salinger 276). Holden's breakdown shows the reader what happens when you stop life and he is able to become an example not to be followed by the reader.

Bibliography:Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

What universal theme does The Catcher in the Rye address? What does the author understand about human nature?

The universal theme of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is the difficulty growing up and finding your own identity. The main character Holden Caulfield is the main representation of this theme because he does not want to grow up. He is very immature and is told often by other characters that he needs to grow up. The future clearly worries Holden because he thinks that most adults are phonies, and does not want to become like them. He does not want to change or become any different and this can be seen through his visit to the Museum of Natural History. Holden reminisces about how he went there as a child several times, and how he admired that things always stayed the same in there no matter how the rest of the world changed( Salinger 157). Holden thinks of the bird and Eskimo exhibits and how they would never change (Salinger 157). At the same time though he is saddened by thinking about his sister Phoebe going into the museum and seeing the same things that he did (Salinger 158). Holden grows depressed thinking about how every time Phoebe goes into the museum she is different (Salinger 158). He resents that something new has happened each time she enters the museum and her outlook has changed slightly (Salinger 158). Holden then expresses his wish to just freeze time and keep it safe and from changing behind a glass case like in the museum (Salinger 158). This shows how much change scares Holden, and how he wants to just freeze time even though he knows it is impossible.

It is clear to me after reading The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger understands humanity's fear of the future and people that may influence change. This is represented by Holden's desire to move out into the country where he would live as a deaf mute (Salinger 257). This fantasy shows Holden wanting to completely be able to control his future by mapping it all out. By living as a mute he could be able to control even whom he comes in contact with. By pretending to be a deaf mute, Holden would not have to interact with other people and this could control who he lets influence his life. He even dreams of having a deaf mute wife, and this shows how deep Holden's aversion to other people runs (Salinger 258). If he had his way the person that would be closest to him could never talk to him neither.

Bibliography:Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

What are the causes and losses dealt with in The Catcher in the Rye

The conflict in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger revolves around the main character named Holden Caulfield, and has many causes and losses for him. Holden's internal conflict is his refusal to become an adult and become a "phony" like the rest of the adults in his life. The conflict is created by Holden's fear of change and growing up and he clings to his childish ways throughout the book. These childish actions include telling a girl that he loved her and then deciding he hated her all in the same afternoon. He also told petty lies and failed out of his boarding school. Acting out seems to keep Holden from thinking that he is not an adult and therefore a phony.

This kind of behavior is not without consequences and Holden learns this through the losses of the conflict. Through Holden's quest to not become an adult he effectively pushes away all of the people his age and up, so he doesn't become a "phony" like them. Even the people that he calls up to hang out with in New York he doesn't really like, but calls just because he doesn't have anything better to do. From these meetings we see Holden push people away by acting outlandishly or being mean. This can be seen through with his date with Sally Hayes. He asks her if she wants to see a show with him even though he doesn't really like seeing shows (Salinger 138). Then he goes through conflicting feelings of love and hatred for Sally, and he refers to her as a phony several times . He manages in pushing Sally away by asking her to run away with him and saying, "you give me a royal pain in the ass" when she refuses his impractical idea (Salinger 173). This, of course, offends Sally and she storms out (Salinger 174) . Holden in some ways doesn't even notice what he is doing to the people around him until the end of the story when he begins to feel truly alone when he is walking down Fifth Avenue (Salinger 256). He begins to think that he will disappear before he gets to other end of the street, and that nobody will ever see him again (Salinger 256). He even starts praying to his deceased brother Allie (Salinger 257). I think that this shows that Holden is terrified after all to be alone and that is afraid that no one will notice when he completely shuts himself off from the world.

Bibliography: Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

Holden's idealism about Childhood

While reading The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, I noticed Holden's reaction to children compared to people he deemed adults. Holden is often scornful of adults, but just loves children. For instance, Holden deeply loves his kid sister Phoebe and admires her childish enthusiasm. He will often remark about how she just "kills" him with her happiness over things like being Benedict Arnold in the school play (Salinger 210). Holden also mentions his older brother named D.B. in the story. It's clear that Holden loves his brother, but will often refer to D.B. as a phony and a "prostitute" (Salinger 4). I think that Holden's preference of Phoebe shows how he idolizes youth and the free nature of childhood. I think Holden ostracizes the adults in his life by calling them phonies. By doing this he can separate them from himself, and let himself believe that he is more like a child still than an adult. Another time that he can be seen showing preference to being a child over an adult is when he tells Phoebe his dream. Holden would like being at the edge of a cliff by a field of rye (Salinger 224). In his dream children would be playing in the field, but then one by one the children would start to run towards the cliff (Salinger 224). When they got to the edge of the cliff, Holden would then be able to reach out and catch the children as the fell (Salinger 224). This dream shows Holden's desire to save the children from oblivion. The cliff could also represent the descent into adulthood and by catching the children he would be saving their childish innocence. Holden's desire to help these children is very important because Holden cannot even seem to save himself, and maybe everyone is supposed to fall into that oblivion. Perhaps that is just the nature of life, and Holden's problems come from his unwillingness to take the plunge and move on in his life.

Bibliography:Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

What does the author reveal about his values and attitudes in The Catcher in the Rye? What perspective is this novel written in?

The author of The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, reveals his attitude about growing up and finding your identity in society. The author feels that growing up can be bemusing and sometimes it's hard to let go of childhood. This attitude can be seen through the struggles that Holden Caulfield, the protagonist, goes through in the novel. Holden is just a teenager and has been going from boarding school to boarding school because he cannot seem to apply himself and he keeps failing out. Holden is a very immature character and is told many times in the story that he needs to grow up, but a part of him wants to cling to his childhood and not change. Holden's fear of change can be observed when he is walking to the Museum of Natural History (Salinger 156). Holden expresses his love of the museum that never changes (Salinger 156). The exhibit of the Eskimo ice fishing in the museum will always will be there ice fishing (Salinger 157). This seems to make Holden seem secure in a world where he himself is growing up and changing faster than he would like. Yet, as Holden draws closer to the museum he thinks about his sister Phoebe going there (Salinger 157). "I kept walking and walking, and I kept thinking about old Phoebe going to that museum on Saturdays the way I used to. I thought how she'd see the same stuff I used to see, and how she'd be different every time she saw it....Certain things they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and leave them alone." (Salinger158). This expresses Holden's fear of his sister and himself getting older and becoming different. I think Holden feels afraid that when he becomes an adult he will become a "phony" or someone that he sees as fake.

The Catcher in the Rye is written in first person. The narrator of this novel is Holden Caulfield, and the reader is able to follow what Holden feels and thinks closely because of this.

Bibliography: Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.

The Marlin of The Old Man and the Sea

While reading The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, many people may be surprised that one of the most significant characters in the story does not have one line dialogue throughout the story, and is not even a human being. This very important character is the marlin that Santiago catches in an attempt to end his unlucky fishing streak (Hemingway 44). The marlin is described as being over a thousand pounds and longer than Santiago's boat (Hemingway 97). He is also a light silver color with purple stripes (Hemingway 90). He has huge eyes and a large sharp scythe like tail (Hemingway 90). Santiago describes the marlin as being beautiful and noble in disposition (Hemingway 92). The marlin's character is described as being confident and strong-willed (Hemingway 84). The main role the marlin has in The Old Man and the Sea is that of the martyr. He is killed by Santiago who desperately needs to catch a fish, since he has not caught one for eighty-four days (Hemingway 94). Despite the love that Santiago feels for the majestic marlin, he must sacrifice the fish for his own gain (Hemingway 94). It is very sad to see the marlin die from Santiago's harpoon, but this is only an event that leads to the fish becoming a martyr. He becomes a martyr when his body, which is tied to Santiago's boat, is attacked by sharks (Hemingway 100). It was incredibly heartbreaking for both the reader and Santiago to see the marlin and his dignity shredded by the merciless sharks. While the sharks too need to eat to survive, it did not have to be the marlin that was already deceased and could not fight back. The brutal attack was the marlin's final humiliation, and is what makes him the victim of the story instead of Santiago. The marlin's only mistake was eating the sardines off Santiago's hook. Santiago's mistake was killing something he loved, then not being able to protect it once the sharks arrived to destroy his "brother's" dignity.

Bibliography:Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. 2003 ed. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

What is the thematic and symbolic significance of The Old Man and the Sea?

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway has symbolic significance. The symbolic significance of this book is mainly the marlin. The marlin is a huge fish that is hooked on one of Santiago's fishing line (Hemingway 44). The marlin is all that Santiago had imagined and more because Santiago has gone eighty-four days without catching a fish (Hemingway 9). Even though Santiago plans to kill the fish, he grows to love and respect the marlin (Hemingway 54). Santiago is able to kill the fish, but disaster strikes when he is taking the fish back to shore (Hemingway 94). Sharks begin to come and eat the marlin (Hemingway 100). After this Santiago fully realizes what he has done to the marlin. The marlin in this story represented dignity and the beauty of nature, and when the sharks attacked him he lost this dignity. Santiago blames himself for this and even says to the fish, "Fish that you were. I am sorry that I went too far out. I ruined us both."(Hemingway 115). This represents both the dignity and fragility of nature. The marlin was once noble, but was desecrated when the sharks began to feed off them. Had the fish been alive he could have defended himself. Santiago may have been able to save the marlin the humiliation of being torn apart by sharks, but he was desperate enough to risk the fish's dignity and lost.

Not only does The Old Man and the Sea have symbolic significance, but it has thematic significance as well. The thematic significance of this book is its message about karma. Santiago dreaded killing the marlin, but he did it anyway for his own benefit (Hemingway 94). The marlin was a good and noble creature, and did not deserve what happened to him. Santiago even called the marlin his brother, but killed him anyway (Hemingway 95). What goes around comes around, and in the end sharks came and took all of the marlins meat (Hemingway 100). This is what Santiago's punishment is for killing a creature that he loved, and Santiago seems to realize after the sharks attack. He knows that what he did to the marlin led to both of their downfalls, and even apologizes to the marlin for it (Hemingway 115).

Bibliography:Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. 2003 ed. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

Character Description: Santiago

In The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, the main character is an old man named Santiago. Santiago is a fisherman and has been for most of his life (Hemingway 9). Santiago is described as being both wrinkled and scarred (Hemingway 9). He also has patches of discolored skin due to skin cancer (Hemingway 9). The only part of Santiago that is young is his eyes. They are described as being as blue as the sea and undefeated (Hemingway 10). This is significant because the eyes are described as being the window to the soul. This would mean that under the exterior weathered by time, Santiago is still strong of mind and has good spirit. Santiago's strong and good spirit is important because the reader soon finds that Santiago will need all the strength and patience he can muster. At the beginning of the story Santiago is described as being unlucky and he has not caught a fish for eighty-four days (Hemingway 9). So, Santiago sets out into the Gulf Stream from Havana, Cuba and goes farther out than he usually does (Hemingway 28). This is where he hooks a huge marlin, and begins the struggle of trying to kill the fish (Hemingway 44). Through Santiago's struggle with the marlin the reader is able to see his true personality come out. Santiago is very determined and shows this through his efforts to get the marlin. Santiago endures very uncomfortable positions for long periods of time to catch the fish (Hemingway 45). The reader can also see how often and deeply Santiago loves. Santiago loves things including the boy and the lions he dreams about (Hemingway 25). Yet, the love Santiago feels for the marlin seems to be the most profound. Most fishermen would be more frustrated towards the fish that they trying to catch instead of loving, but not Santiago. He loves the fish because he respects the fish in almost every way (Hemingway 54). Santiago shows the reader how good and strong he is even when he is facing one of the biggest challenges of his life.

Bibliography:Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. 2003 ed. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

What people, ideas, and events probably influenced Ernest Hemingway while writing The Old Man and the Sea

I think that many aspects of life influenced Ernest Hemingway while writing his fantastic novel The Old Man and the Sea, but none as significant as nature itself. Nature can be seen on almost every page of The Old Man and the Sea and Santiago can often be found admiring it. The reader can see that the author often portrays his own love and appreciation for nature by making Santiago feel the same about it. An example of Santiago admiring nature is when he is thinking about the sea and birds (Hemingway 29). This deep admiration that Santiago has for the birds and sea can be seen in the passage that says, "Why did they make birds so delicate and fine as those sea swallows when the ocean can be so cruel? She is very kind and very beautiful. But she can be so cruel and it comes so suddenly and such birds that fly, dipping and hunting, with their small sad voices are made too delicately for the sea." (Hemingway 29). This passage doesn't seem like Santiago's thoughts as much as the author's perspective of nature. Another example that shows how much nature influenced the author can be seen through Santiago's dreams. Santiago no longer dreams about anything, but an old memory that he has from his youth (Hemingway 25). This memory is from when Santiago sailed to Africa and saw a group of lions playing on the bright beaches of the Canary Islands (Hemingway 25). These lions had a huge impact on Santiago and he loves them like he loves the boy that helps him (Hemingway 25). It seems that Santiago feels that the lions are old friends and he looks forward to seeing them in his dreams every night. The lions playing on the beach are a strong image of nature and seem to make Santiago very happy. This satisfaction may come from Hemingway's own fondness of nature and views on how dignified nature is. By using lions, which are known for being noble, he is making nature in this book seem very proud and dignified.

Bibliography:Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. 2003 ed. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

Why do we still read The Old Man and the Sea? What can we learn from this book?

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is still read today because of the important lessons it teaches the readers. The primary lesson of this book is the struggle for life. This struggle is important and relevant because in nature something survives off another's demise. Not just animals participate in this battle, but humans as well. This can be seen through Santiago's fight with the marlin. Santiago is a fisherman and has gone eighty-four days without catching a fish (Hemingway 9). He needs to catch a fish, so he can earn money and food to survive. When Santiago catches the marlin he embarks on a long struggle to bring the fish to the surface without breaking his fishing line (Hemingway 44). As Santiago waits out the fish he begins to admire and even love him (Hemingway 55). The fish is a worthy adversary for the old man, and Santiago grows to think of the fish as a brother (Hemingway 95). Even though Santiago loves the fish he still kills him in the end (Hemingway 94). This shows the struggle between lives. To live Santiago has to kill the fish even though he regrets it. Santiago will now be able to survive for longer.

The struggle for life is shown in another way in this story as well. This is shown when the sharks attack the marlin's body against the boat (Hemingway 100). The sharks must also eat to survive like Santiago, but by taking the marlin's meat they are not participating in the same struggle that Santiago and the marlin fought in. Their attack of the marlin is not as noble as Santiago's. Unlike Santiago, the sharks do not understand the fair match between the marlin and Santiago. They take away the marlin's dignity because they feed off him when he was already dead. The marlin did not have the chance to defend himself against the sharks like he did against Santiago. Nor do they love and respect the marlin as Santiago did. They simply will kill until the day themselves would be the ones killed.

Bibliography: Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. 2003 ed. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

What techniques does the author use to engage the reader of The Old Man and the Sea?

In The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, the author uses many different techniques to make his story engaging for the reader. One of the techniques that he uses is suspense. Suspense is used in very many different ways, and causes the reader to want to keep reading. One example of suspense being used in The Old Man and the Sea is when Santiago catches the marlin on his fishing line (Hemingway 44). This makes the reader excited because this means that Santiago's streak of not catching fish will be over. However, it is not easy for Santiago to pull the heavy marlin in. This makes Santiago's struggle to pull the fish in last for several days (Hemingway 46). While Santiago endures hardships to rein the fish in, this leads the reader to wonder whether Santiago will be successful or not. Curiosity drives the reader to keep reading to see what will happen. Suspense is used again in this story when the sharks begin to attack the marlin's corpse (Hemingway 100). Santiago now must fight the sharks for the marlin using whatever means he has (Hemingway 102). Once again the reader is put into suspense about whether Santiago will succeed or not in protecting the marlin. It also causes the reader to wonder when the next shark will come for the marlin.

Not only does the author use suspense to draw the reader into the book, but he also uses symbolism to make the reader engaged. The main symbol of this book is the marlin. The marlin represents nobility and innocence. The marlin means no harm, but Santiago kills him anyway (Hemingway 96). Santiago kills him so he can sell him, and he can continue to support himself (Hemingway 97). This shows the sacrifice that man must endure to keep living and surviving. We are like other creatures in that we kill to live. This symbolism is used to interest the reader and make them think. The thought that this book provokes gets the reader really into the book.

Bibliography:Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. 2003 ed. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

Who is the hero of The Old Man and the Sea?

The hero of The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is an old fisherman named Santiago. Santiago at the beginning of the story seems to be an unlikely hero because he is so old. The reader soon finds that looks are deceiving, and that Santiago is full of life and is very strong in his determination. In this book, Santiago is a hero because of how he defends the marlin that he has caught from sharks. In the middle of the story, Santiago hooks the marlin on one of his fishing lines and begins a long struggle of trying to catch the fish (Hemingway 44). The longer Santiago struggles with the fish the more he feels connected to it. Santiago grows to love the fish (Hemingway 54). He admires how beautiful and strong the marlin is (Hemingway 63). He also knows that the marlin is a noble creature full of dignity (Hemingway 63). When Santiago finally catches the fish and is taking him back to the harbor, when sharks attack the marlin's body that is attached to the boat (Hemingway 100). Santiago sees the sharks as mindless killers and scavengers, and not worthy of the marlin (Hemingway 108). They are not as noble as the marlin, and are taking away the dignity of the dead marlin. Santiago soon regrets that he sacrificed the fish and decides to fight the sharks to death for respect for the marlin (Hemingway 115). This is what makes Santiago a hero. He is willing to fight for an innocent. He is also willing to fight for the marlin's dignity and pride.

Some of the qualities that help Santiago make his decision to fight for the marlin are his respect for nature and his sense of determination. Santiago's respect for nature helps him defend the marlin because through this respect he has come to love the marlin (Hemingway 54). It also makes the reader see that his struggle with the fish was more natural since it was about survival. It makes the sharks seem evil though because they do not respect the struggle and are not noble. Santiago's sense of determination also helps him because it gives him strength. This determination leads Santiago to find any way to kill the sharks so they do not eat the marlin.

Bibliography:Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. 2003 ed. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

What universal theme does The Old Man and the Sea address? What does the author understand about human nature?

The universal theme of The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is the survival of the fittest. This theme can be seen many times throughout the novel, but is most represented by Santiago's struggle with the marlin that he has caught. This struggle represents the survival of the fittest because for the marlin to live he needs Santiago to give up. Santiago however is not the kind of person to give and would die before he gave up (Hemingway 87). So, the marlin needs Santiago to die, but on the other hand Santiago needs the marlin to die. This would enable Santiago to win the struggle between the two and for him to sell the fish at the market. When Santiago set out to catch the fish he had gone eighty-four days without catching a fish (Hemingway 9). Since Santiago makes a living as a fisherman, he hadn't made any money for almost three months. While the marlin has size and strength in his favor, Santiago is able to use his cunning and weapon to win the match (Hemingway 94). This fight for survival is represented as something natural and noble, as opposed to the scavenger sharks that do not have the dignity to respect the balance. This can be seen through Santiago's love for the marlin's dignity, and hatred for the sharks (Hemingway 93).

After reading The Old Man and the Sea, the reader can tell that Hemingway has a deep understanding of human nature. He understands that unyielding determination to survive in humanity. Santiago is a good example of this because of his persistence in fishing. Most people might throw in the towel after eighty-four days without catching a fish, but this is how Santiago makes his living (Hemingway 9). Fishing is the thing that keeps him going, and he cannot quit on that. Despite his age, he sets off to fish and ends up catching a huge fish (Hemingway 44). It takes him days before he can kill the marlin (Hemingway 94). His body is wearing down, but he preservers because he has to catch the fish to keep surviving.

Bibliography: Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. 2003 ed. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

What are the causes,gains, and losses dealt with in The Old Man and the Sea?

In The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, the conflict in this novel is the struggle between Santiago and the marlin that he is trying to catch. This conflict like many others has causes, gains, and losses. The cause of this conflict is Santiago's need to catch a fish. This old fisherman went eighty-four days without catching a fish (Hemingway 9). Since he was not catching fish he was not making money or eating as much as he should have been (Hemingway 16). This desperate desire to catch a fish causes Santiago to decide to go out farther in the ocean then he usually does (Hemingway 14). This is where Santiago finds the huge marlin that he hooks and struggles with to catch (Hemingway 44).

The conflict of The Old Man and the Sea has very few gains. One of these gains is that Santiago is able to break his eighty-four day streak of not catching a fish (Hemingway 97). Since he actually caught the fish this makes Santiago seem not as senile. Santiago probably also gains a little more respect from the other fishermen, because they see the huge skeleton that Santiago brings in to the harbor (Hemingway 22). Not all of these gains are as good though, because Santiago also gains a few injuries in the process of bringing up the fish. His body becomes worn down and his hands are covered with marks from holding on to the line (Hemingway 56).

This book not only has gains, but also losses. The main loss in this book is the loss of the marlin's dignity and life. The reader can see how much Santiago regrets killing the marlin when the sharks attack the body (Hemingway 115). The marlin was once a majestic and noble creature, but becomes bait for the sharks when they come and eat him (Hemingway 100). This enrages Santiago that this would happen to the marlin because the sharks do not deserve to eat him (Hemingway 108). Santiago thinks that they are not noble like the marlin and are mere scavengers (Hemingway 108). This makes Santiago vow to fight the sharks until he dies in the effort of maintaining the marlin's dignity (Hemingway 115).

Bibliography : Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. 2003 ed. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

What does the author reveal about his values in The Old Man and the Sea? What perspective is this novel written in?

In The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, the reader can tell that the author values sacrifice. The reader can determine this through all of the sacrifices that the protagonist, named Santiago, must go through in this story. While Santiago achieves his goal in this novel, it does not come without its consequences along the way. One of the first sacrifices that Santiago makes in the novel is not letting the boy go with him fishing (Hemingway 10). Santiago loves the boy and would like him to come along, but knows that he is does not catch enough fish for it to be worthwhile for the boy (Hemingway 10). The boy would provide some comfort to Santiago, but he sacrifices his comfort for the good of the boy. Santiago's next sacrifice that he is forced to make ends up being much more major than not letting the boy come. Santiago is out on his boat when he finds one of his fishing lines is weighed down by a fish (Hemingway 43). Santiago soon finds that the fish is bigger than he ever imagined, and embarks on a struggle with the fish that lasts a few days. Santiago needs to pull the fish up to the surface, and has to hold onto the line for several days while he waits for the fish to come up (Hemingway 57). This struggle causes not only external conflict for Santiago, but internal conflict as well. A part of Santiago loves the fish that he has hooked , but knows that he must kill him (Hemingway 54). He admires the marlin's strength and beauty, and finds him to be a truly noble creature (Hemingway 92). Several times through the story, Santiago refers to the fish as his brother and does not want to kill him (Hemingway 92). Yet, Santiago also knows how many people the fish will feed and how much money he is worth, so Santiago must sacrifice the marlin's life (Hemingway 97).

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is written in third person omniscient. Since this book is written in third person omniscient, the reader knows what Santiago and other characters are feeling and thinking.

Bibliography: Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. 2003 ed. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.